Earth-scraper



(No Model.)

A. R BYRKETT.

Earth Scraper. No. 229,863. Patented Julyl3, 1880.

MPETERS, PHOTO-LITHOORAPNER. WASHINGTON. D c.

I UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

AHIJAH B. BYRKETT, OF TROY, OHIO.

EARTH-SC RAPE'R.

SPECIFICATION formingpartof Letters Patent No. 229,863, dated July 13,1880. Application filed May 31, 1880. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AHIJAH R. BYRKETT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Troy, in the county of Miami and Stat'eof Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Earth-Scrapers f and Ido hereby declare the following to' be a full, clear, andexactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, and to letters.

7 or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

This is an improvement in that class of earth-scrapers which arearranged to revolve for the purpose of dunipin g the load, and whilebeing filled are locked in position.

The improvement consists in constructing the frame-work of stout bars ofmetal and the body or lining of some light material, such as sheet metalor wood, the bars supporting and strengthening said lining at its bottomedges, its center, and also alongits top edge.

The improvementfurther consistsin strengthening the front portion of thescoop by the application to each side'thereof of cheek-plates, which arerigidly secured to the side and top barsof the frame-work; in a cutteror scraper having its rear edge split to receive the front edge of thescoop-lining, the front ends ofthe cheek-plates, and the frontv ends ofthe bars sustaining the bottom of the scoop, the split portion of thecutter, and the front ends of the cheek-plates, thescoop and the bandsbeing firmly bolted or otherwise secured together,

thereby forming an exceptionally strong cut-- ter or scraper, capable'ofresisting a great strain. Y

The improvement further consists inthe pivoting to rigid studsprojecting' from the cheek-plates of the bail, and in the pivoting tothe bail-arms, slight-1yv in. advance of their pivward ends ofthelhandles, which are slightly bent to conform to the vshape of thescoop,

. and in combining therewith a cross-bar secured tov the handles, whichcross-bar shall rest directly upon the top of the rear end of thescoop-body and extend along its entire width, for the purpose of holdingit firmly in position, and a spring-hook secured to said cross-bar onits top face, for engagement with The frame-work of the scoop consistsof stout a catch secured to the rear of the scoop bemetal bands A B G D,to which is attached, by bolts or other suitable means, a lining orbody,

E, of some suitable light material, such as thin plate metal or Wood.

The bands A B O extend from the front to the rear of the scoop at eachside edge of the bottom proper, and also at the center, therebyafibrding a firm support to the body and sustaining it against thepressure of the load of earth or other material therein.

The band D extends all around the top edge of the scoop body or lining,and is secured firmly thereto, so as to strengthen it at that part. Thestrain upon the body or lining is very slight compared to the strainupon the front or scraping portion, and it is found in practice that agreat saving of material, and consequently a lessening of the expense inconstructing machines of this character, is secured by formingthe-lining of light and cheap material, with exterior bands of stoutmetal to support it, While such construction is, at the same time, quiteas effective as in those instances where the scoop body or lining ismade of stout and more expensive material. Moreover, should a scoopconstructed entirely in one piece become damaged, it might be necessaryto replace it entire, while in my construction the scoop-lining or anyother portion can be readily replaced, should occasion require,

. withoutnecessitating the renewing of the other parts of the device.otal connection to the cheek-plates, of the:for-:

'F represents cheek-plates secured to the outside of each side of thescoop at its forward end.

These plates are preferably of stout metal, and are secured to theframe-work by bolts or otherwise. They serve the purpose of greatlystrengthening that portion of the machine subject to the moststrain-via, that part in direct con tact with the earth being scrapedand they also afford a firm bearing for the attachnient of the bail andhandles, as hereinaftor described, so that the whole strain shall beupon the portion of the scoop best adapted to receive it by reason ofits re-enforred condition.

G represents the knife or scraper,which is split at its rear edge toreceive the forward ends of the bands A B C, the front edge of the scoopbody or lining, and the front ends of the cheekplates F. Thesplit edgesofthc scraper and the therein-inclosed ends of the lining, hands, andchecks are then firmly bolted or otherwise secured together, and, withthe side-cmbraring cheek-plates, result in thctbrmation of anexceptionally strong scraping and strain sustaining portion, which, asthe various parts maybe arranged to be capable ofeasy removal. may berenewed without difiicnlty whenever required without disturbing thewhole of the machine.

Projecting outwardly from each cheek'plate F are rigid pins a, to whichthe ends of the bail K are pivoted. The forward ends of the handles ll(which are slightly bent to adapt them to the shape of the scoop) are,in turn, pivoted to the bail-arms in advance of the pivotal connectionof said bailarmsto the cheekplates. This arrangement materially aids inthe dumping of the scoop at the proper moment, as, on the rear portionof the handles being raised to, say, an angle of about sixtyfivedegrees, the ends of the bail-arms will press the front ends of thehandles back, and thereby force the rear ends up and release thecross-bar from the rear of the scoop, while at the same time the scoopturns over, releasing itself automatically from a spring-hook on thecrossbar. The bail has capacity for rising free of obstructions withoutaii'ecting the handles suflicieutly to release the cross-bar.

The cross-bar I is secured to the handles H. While the handles are intheir normal position this cross-bar will rest upon the topof the rearportion of the scoopbody and along its entire Width and hold it tirmlydown.

Secured to the upper face of the cross-bar l is a downwardlyde lendinghook, h, which is held in position to engage with a catch, 0, on therear of the scoop by means of a spring, (1, also secured to the upperface of the cross-bar, and engaging at its free end in a notch in therear of said hook. Both the hook b and the catch 0 are beveled on theirfaces to facilitate engagement with each other.

In lieu of the hook I and the plate-springd to hold the same inposition, I may use a hook of Spring-steel, such as is shown in Fig.4ofthe drawings. This hook has a lip, r, at its upper end, by means ofwhich it is attached to the crossbar, the hooked portion dependingdownward for engagement with the catch on the rear of the scoop, as inthe before-described arrangement.

The operation of the devices for the revolution of the scoop is asfollows: The handles H being in a position of rest, with the springhookengaging the catch upon the back of the scoop, by raising the handlessufficiently to enable the scoop to till, the cross-bar on thehandlesiscaused to pressheavily upon thercar end of the scoop, andthereby hold it in a perfectly rigid position. Continuing the elevationof the handles to an angle of about sixtyfive degrees to the hail, thehandles are forced back so that thc cross-bar is pushed off the rear endof the scoop, and the scoop thereby permitted to pass clear of thecross-bar and deposit its load. It is then brought into position againby the combined movement of the horses forward and the pulling back ofthe workman upon the handles.

It will be observed that this device is simple in construction, with'nocomplicated parts to get out of gear or become clogged in use, with noprojecting portions liable to be broken off, and the machine therebyderanged, and that it further possesses the advantages of being light inconstruction while very strong at the parts requiring strength, capacityof easy replacement of parts requiring renewing, and facility andreliability of operation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent,

1. A scoop consisting of the frame-work A B U D, of stout metal bands,and the lining or body E, of light material, substantially as described.

2. The cheek-plates F, secured at each side of the forward end of thescoop to the bands U I). as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with a scoop consisting of thc frame-work A B G D,lining E, and cheek-plates F, of the split knife or scraper G,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination of bail K, pivoted to the cheek-plates F, handles H,pivoted to said bail in advance of the pivotal connection of the bail tothe cheek-plates, the cross-bar I, socured to said handles so as to restdirectly upon the top 'edgeof the back part of the scoop, the catch 1),and the spring-hook c d, secured to the cross-bar, as and for thepurpose set forth.

The combination of the catch b, secured to the rear of the scoop, thehook c, securedto the cross-bar I, and the plate-sprin g d, secured tothe cross-bar, for engaging with the upper end of said hook and insuringthe engagement of said hook and catch, as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AHIJAH R. BYRKETT.

Witnesses:

Units. J. GOOOH,

inc. F. GRAHAM.

